Eastern Sayan is the mountain huge massif in the south-west of Eastern Siberia
which keeps the tracks of the ancient volcanic activity. This area is
actually forgotten by modern civilization and keeps ecological purity.
Travellers are meeting there with untouched wild nature, crystal clear
rivers with a lot of fish: harius (grayling), lenok, taimen, and genuine Siberian
taiga. Travels in this area bring the amazing social
experience with meeting the Tofalar (Tofa) people - very small (about 1000) unique
ethnic group of proto-Uigur origin who keep their national identity and
very old and unusual traditions untouched so far.

Itinerary
(Variant 1, from/to Omsk, here you join the team at the very beginning):

Day 1

Arrival
to Omsk. Meeting at the airport or railway station. Transfer to the
hotel. Overnight at the hotel (**DBL BB). Meeting with your guide.

Days 2-3

Transfer to the railway station. Meeting
with the team. Train to Nizhneudinsk.

Day
4

Arrival to Nizhneudinsk. 6WD transfer to
the pass foothill. Camping.

Day 5

Packing the horses. Hiking over the pass
to Katyshnyi stream.

Day 6

Preparing
for rafting (assembling of the rafts, training of the members).

Day 7

Rafting down
Katyshnyi stream to the junction of Murkhoi river.

Day
9

Rafting down Murhkoi river. Camping on the right bank.

Day 10

Rafting
down Murkhoi river to Upper Gutara (Verhkniaya Gutara) village.

Day 11

Day
of rest. Excursion to Upper Gutara village - the host of Tofalaria
region. Visit to the museum. Excursion to the picturesque Gutara waterfall.
About 20 km hiking. Camping. Fishing.

Included:
Meeting/seeing off in Omsk. 2 nights hotel accomodation (DBL,
BB basis) in Omsk. All transfers according the programme, 2-person
tents with caremats, 3 times a day hot meals during rafting, rafting
and camping gear, guides. Not included: Travel to and from Omsk (Transsiberian or by air),
visa fees, alcoholic beverages and other luxuries, personal items.

Options:
visa support, cititour in Omsk, SGL supplement,
gear rental. The arrival and departure points may be changed as follows:

Variant
2. Arrival and departure from/to Krasnoyarsk. Here you can
save 2 days if you arrive by air. The itinerary should be changed as
follows:

Day 1

Arrival
to Krasnoyarsk. Meeting at the airport or railway station. Transfer
to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel (**DBL BB).

Day 2

Transfer
to Nizhneudinsk (542 km, 9 hrs). Meeting with the team. Start (at
about 22:00) 6WD transfer to the beginning of the route. Tent camping.

Day 3

Packing the horses. Hiking over the pass
to Katyshnyi stream.

Day 4

Preparing
for rafting (assembling of the rafts, training of the members).

Day 5

Rafting
down Katyshnyi stream to the junction of Murkhoi river.

Day
6

Rafting down Murhkoi river. Camping on the right bank.

Day 7

Rafting
down Murkhoi river to Upper Gutara (Verhkniaya Gutara) village.

Day 8

Day
of rest. Excursion to Upper Gutara village - the host of Tofalaria
region. Visit to the museum. Excursion to the picturesque Gutara
waterfall. About 20 km hiking. Camping. Fishing.

Included:
Meeting/seeing off in Krasnoyarsk. 2 nights hotel accomodation (DBL,
BB basis) in Krasnoyarsk. All transfers according the programme, 2-person
tents with caremats, 3 times a day hot meals during rafting, rafting
and camping gear, guides. Not included: Travel to and from Krasnoyarsk (Transsiberian or by air),
visa fees, alcoholic beverages and other luxuries, personal items.

Variant
3 (economic). Arrival to Nizhneudinsk and departure from
Taishet. Here you join the team at the beginning (from Day 4 of Var.
1) of active part and leave at the end (Day 21 of Var. 1). Both Nizhneudinsk
and Taishet are situated on Transsiberian railroad, so it could be part
of your Transsiberian trip.

Only
6WD truck can reach the site.

Gold
field en route.

Here
we meet the horse caravan.

Pack
horses and horseman.

On
the pass.

Mr.
Captain! The team is ready for rafting!

Upper
Gutara.

Mushrooms.

In
the rapid.

Suspended
bridge to Upper Gutara Tofalar village.

Tofa
men.

Tofa
women.

Tofalar
etnographic museum.

Trying
on Tofalar national wear...

Chum
- the hunter's shelter.

Inside
the Chum.

There
are many hunter's huts en route.

Inside
the hunter's hut.

Tofalar's
bania (wet sauna)

So
virtually every night you have a choice- to stay in the hut or
tent.